Friction-clutch



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. P.' MGLAUGHLIN.

FRIGTION CLUTCH.

No. 451,653. Patented May 5, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. F; MOLAUG-HLIN. FRITIN CLUTCH.

No. 451,653. Patented May 5,1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MCLAUGI'ILIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,653, dated May 5, 1891.

Application led June 2, 1890. Serial No. 353,931. (No model.)

Letters Patent there is shown a clutch-shoe;

carrier mounted on a shaft and carrying radially-disposed clutch-shoes in operative relation to a gear which is to be coupled to the shaft. The clutch-shoes are normally held in a retracted position by springs, and are forced outward into frictional engagement with a smooth surface of the gear by a screwfed device actuating the clutch-shoes in opposition to the springs.

The presentimprovement-s relate mainly to the manner of connecting the clutch-shoes to their actuating mechanism, whereby they are moved positively both into and out of' engagement, thus avoiding the use of retractile springs, and whereby they are locked when in engagement with the gear in such manner that the actuating mechanism is then entirely or to a great extent relieved from strain. These results are obtained by the use of toggle connections between the actuating mechanism and the several clutch-shoes, which connections are so made that the toggles may be moved to and a limited distance beyond the position of greatest extension, and thereby automatically lock themselves with the clutch-shoes in engagement with the gear.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and illustrating one practical embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the clutch, with the clutch-shoes in theexpanded or engaged positionp'ar't's'being shown in elevation and also broken away. Fig. 2 is a similar section embracing only those parts shown in the lower half of Fig. 1, with the clutchl shoes in the retracted or disengaged position.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the clutch; and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 5c of Fig. 1, parts being removed and broken away to expose other parts.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a shaft 1, which may be either the drive or the driven shaft,on which is keyed or otherwise secured a hub 2, having an annular fiange 3 at one end, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This fianged hub forms whatwill hereinafter be termed the clutch-carrier. On one face of the flange 3 are a number of radial grooves 4 extending to the periphery thereof, and constituting guides or ways for the shanks 5 of clutch-shoes G, each shank 5 being broad and fiat and seated on slightly-raised flat ribs 7, formed on the bottom of the grooves 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Each shank is strengthened by longitudinal edge Iianges or ribs 8, and is also provided with a central elongated slot 9, through which extends the smooth portion of a bolt 10 entering a nut formed in the flange 3 at the bottom of each groove 4. The bolt 10, together with a washer 11 interposed between the head of the said bolt and the shank 5, serves to secure the latter to the flange 3; but the bolt is so adjusted that the clutch-shoe can be moved longitudinally in the groove 4 for alimited distance, in a manner to be described.

Mounted on the hub 2 there is a gear (or pulley) 12,having a peripheral annularange 13 of sufficient width to inclose the clutchshoes, which latter are each provided-with an expanded head 14, having a curved bearingface concentric with the inner face of the said flange 13. The bearingfaces of the clutch-shoes consist of removable plates or slabs 15, of wood or other suitable material, secured in seats in the heads 14, formed by undercut ribs or flanges 16 on opposite edges of the said heads. It will be observed that wooden or like face-plates for the clutchshoes, besides being easily renewed when worn, prevent the harsh and unpleasant noises accompanying the clutching action when metallic parts are used throughout. It will be understood, however, that I may use steel or other inetallicface-plates instead of wooden ones.

The clutch-shoes are moved positively to and from the iiange of the gear or pulley by means of an actuating mechanism (which I IOC ZAL

term a shifter) and toggle connections be tween the said shifter and the clutclrshoes, to be now described.

On the shaft 1 at a distance from the hub 2 there is a removable sleeve 17, secured by a pin 18 orotherwise to the said shaft and provided with an annular flange 1S at the end toward the clutch-carrier. Mounted on the sleeve 17 there is another sleeve 19, constituting the fixed portion of the shifter and having the greater part of its outer surface screw-threaded. Near one end of this sleeve 19 there is an arm 20, formed on it and projecting at right angles therefrom, and this arm is held and thereby holds the sleeve 19 against rotation by a fixed portion ot the frame of the machine in which the clutch is used, such port-ion of the frame being shown in dotted lines at 21, Fig.

One end of the sleeve 19 abuts against the iiange 1S of the sleeve 17, and the other end abuts against a nut 22, screwed on the end of the shaft 1, which is screw-threaded for the purpose, and the said sleeve, being thus confined between the iiange 1S and nut 22, is held against longitudinal movement. The nut 22 is provided with a number of radial holes or sockets 23 for the reception ot a pin, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1,) by means ot which it is turned, and one (or more) of these holes extends to the interior of the nut and receives a short pin 21, which is suitably formed on one end to fit the threads on the shaft. The hole 23, receiving the pin 21, is threaded to receive a screw 25, which serves to force the said pin 21 into'close contact with the shaft, and thereby lock the nut in place, and as the pin 24 lits the threads on the shaft they are uninjured by the pressure of the said pin. To further secure the nut 22 in place, there is provided a jam-nut 26, similar to the said nut 22.

Surrounding the screw-threaded part of the sleeve 19 there is an internallythreaded sleeve 27, having a reduced portion 2S, forming a neck surrounding the shaft 1 between the sleeve 17 and hub 2. Integral with and exterior to the sleeve 27 there is an annular shouldered flange 29, to one side of which is xed an annulus 30, between which latter and the outer part ot the flange 29 is secured a ring-lever 31.

The flange 29 and annulus 30 are each provided with a number of matched pericia tions, (those in the iiange being threaded,) and the ring-lever, to which it may be adjusted for taking up wear or for other purposes, is held in any desired position by means of a bolt 32, entering such perforations and extending through a single perforation formed in the said ring-lever.

On one side of the ring-lever there is formed an arm 33, to which is connected a pitman 34, extending to an operating-lever located at some convenient point. The ring-lever and connections, together with the means for adjusting the said lever with reference to any of the series of pertorations in the flange 29 and annulus 30, are fully illustrated and described in my aforesaid patent.

It will be readily understood that when the ring-lever is actuated in one direction or the other the sleeve 27, which constitutes the movable part of the shifter, will be screwed oii or on the threaded sleeve 19, (which is held against rotation or longitudinal movement,) and said sleeve 27 will thereby be moved longitudinally to or from the hub 2.

On the neck 28 of the sleeve 27 there is mounted a collar 35, free to rotate, but held against longitudinal movement of the said neck by a ring or washer 36, secured to the free end ot the same. On the outer face of the collar there are a number oi' pairs of lugs or ears 37, between which are pivoted theinner ends of togglearms 38, the collar being slightly recessed to receive the said ends, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the other or outer ends are formed into balls 39, which enter semi-spherical sockets or seats 40, formed in the heads 11 of the clutch-shoes, thus providing balland-socket connections between the toggle-arms and clutch-shoes. The ball ends of the toggle-arms are held in the seats e0 by slotted plates 4l, secured to the heads 1t. Each toggle-arm is formed ot two parts, one of which has the ball 39 formed on it and the other is pivoted between the ears 37. The two parts of the toggle-arm have right and left screw-threads, respectively, on their adjacent ends and receive an internally-threaded sleeve or nut 42, by means of which the length of the toggle-arm may be adjusted, and in order to prevent accidental movement of the said nut a jam-nut t3 is provided.

lVhen the movable part of the shifter is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the clutch-shoes are withdrawn from the flange of the gear and in this case the ring-levcr is in the posi tion shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3. In order to apply the clutch-shoes, the ring-lever is moved to the position shown in full lines, Fig. 3, in which ease the sleeve 27, constituting` the movable part of the shifter, is correspondingly unscrewed from the sleeve 19, and thereby moved longitudinally toward the elutclrcarrier. This movement of the shifter causes the toggle-arms to assume the position shown in Fig. 1, and to force the clutch-shoes radially outward until they are iu iirm con tact with the flange 13 of the gear-wheel 12. When the toggle-arms are in 'such position that the axis ot` the pivoted end of each and every toggle-arm is in the same plane with the axis of each and every ball-andsoeket joint, which plane is indicated by a dotted line in Fig. 1, the clutch -shoes are applied with the greatest force; but a slight movement of the inner ends of the toggle-arms in either direction from the central position will not effect to anv material extent the force of the contact between the clutch-shoes and the gear-wheel flange. For

IOO

this reason the shifter and its operating mechanism are so adjusted that the toggle arms will be moved beyond the central position and toward the clutch-carrier, as shown in Fig. 1. This movement is limited by means of a stop-screw 44, carried by a short anglearm 45, projecting from the inner end of each toggle-arm in such position that it Will engage the collar 35 after the toggle-arms have passed the central position, as stated. The stop-screws are adjusted to permit the inner ends of the toggle-arms to move but a very slight distancebeyond the central position; but such movement is amply sufficient to securely lock the toggle-arms against any tendency to force the shifter away from the clutch-carrier, the stopscre Ws preventing any tendency of the toggle-arms to move toward the clutch-carrier. The shifter, it will be seen, is thus relieved from all strain after the clutch-shoes are moved into the engaged position, and the nut 22 and Washer 36, as Wellas the flange on the sleeve 17, are subjected to strain only during the operation of applying or releasing the clutch.

Vhen it is desired to dismantle the clutch for repair or any other purpose, the improved construction admits of such operation Without removing the gear and clutch-carrier from the shaft or from their position in an organized machine, for it is only necessary to remove the two nuts 22 26, then unscrew the sleeve 19 from the sleeve 27, and then by removing the pin 18, which is at that time exposed to view, the sleeve 17 is free to be drawn o the shaft l. The pivots of theinner ends of the toggle-arms or the plates 41, conning the outer ends of the said arms, are then removed, and the remaining or movable part of the shifter may be easily slid from the shaft, thus exposing the clutch-shoes to full View. This construction, it will thus be seen, renders all parts of the clutch readily accessible Without necessitating the removal of the gear from the shaft on which it has been properly adjusted with relation to the rest of the machine.

Having now fully described my inventioml claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a friction-clutch, the combination, with a driving and a driven member to be coupled thereto, of clutch shoes mounted on one member and in operative relation to the other member, a non-rotating screw-fed shifter for forcing the shoes into engagement, and toggle connections between the said shifter and shoes, substantially as described.

2. In a friction-clutch, the combination of a driving and a driven member and radial clutch-shoes for connecting and disconnecting the same with radial toggles, one for each shoe, and a non-rotating screw-fed shifter for actuating the toggles simultaneously, substantially as described.

3. In a friction-clutch, the combination of a driving and a driven member and clutchshoes for connecting and disconnecting the same with adjustable toggles, one for each shoe, and a nonrotating and screw-fed shifter for controlling the clutch-shoes, substantially as described.

4. In a friction-clutch, the combination, with a driving and a driven member and clutchshoes for connecting and disconnecting the same, of toggles, one for each shoe, a shifter for controlling the clutchshoes, and locks for the toggles carried by the latter, whereby the shifter is relieved from strain when the two members of the clutch are coupled, substantially as described.

5. In a friction-clutch, the combination, with a driving and a driven member and radial clutch-shoes for connecting and disconnecting the same, of radial toggles, one for each clutch-shoe, a shiftercontrolling the clutch-shoes, and an adjustable stop on each toggle locking it against accidental return movement when the tWo members of the clutch are coupled, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JAMES F. MoLAUGl-ILIN.

Witnesses:

HERBERT P. KER, H. F. REARDON. 

